Lately I have been running a thousand miles an hour, in a circle. My poor little kids are trying their hardest to keep up with me, when all they really want to do is play in the sprinkler. What am I training them to do? Or to be? I think it's time to evaluate our (my) priorities and make sure that the really important stuff becomes really important again. We get one shot at this whole parenting gig, and I don't want to get to the end of the task and see that I've trained them to be versions of this restless me that can't stop running long enough to read my bible or enjoy a day of just playing with them. It's time to turn on the sprinkler.
I really want them to "get" the most important things. The things that will matter 30 years from now. If I don't show them those things, how will they get them, or even know what they've missed? OH THE PRESSURE!!! Seriously, it must be do-able because God placed these children in my care, and He knows I'm a doofus sometimes. He knows that I spend entirely too much time at the mall and that I love to sleep late and hate doing laundry. None of those things scream "Mom Material!" He still gave me these silly monkeys, so surely He planned to equip me to train them up to be normal kids, who love pb&j's and want to live a life that honors Him.
Part of my equipping has been in the form of placing brilliant, Godly women in my life to show me the ropes and throw me one now and then when I need rescuing. The remainder has come from trial and error, midnight talks at IHOP, and most importantly, God's Word. That equipping has given me a burden for making sure that my kids are watching to clearly see God working in every area of our lives, and that they don't have to look any further than their mom to see an example of a Godly woman with a servant's heart. I better eat my Wheaties!
So- here are a few of the things I hope and pray that they each understand and apply to their lives today and next week and in 2054:
1. You are the light of my life, and the fact that you are here is my greatest earthly blessing.
2. You are not here to be a blessing for me, you are here to be a servant of God- I just got a bonus out of the deal.
3. Respect is not negotiable. It's your default setting, and it will serve you well.
4. Your pursuit of holiness should trump your pursuit of happiness every time. Period.
5. You don't need to be validated by anyone- Jesus values you enough that He bled and died for you and fought Hell and the grave for YOU. That should be enough...that and your momma thinks you're the bees knees.
6. God cares about it ALL. Little stuff, big stuff- God is looking at your heart and motive for every decision. Be obedient
7. The consequences of telling a lie are always ALWAYS harder than the consequences of telling the truth. Truth is not negotiable, either.
8. When you start looking for a mate- when you're 40- if they don't love Jesus, they can't love you.
9. You can't have a relationship with God if you don't spend time with him.
10. I love you and will help you in every way that I can, but you have to walk out this life with God and stand before Him in eternity. He is the way. Live for Him and with Him.
11. Tithe. It's an opportunity to be obedient, and its not negotiable.
Its time to slow things down a bit, so that we can focus on these things. So, sprinklers, and picnics and lots of holding and prayers are on our agenda. The other things are just gonna have to wait. Even if there is a sale at Target. Lord help me!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
15 Years With Big Daddy
Before I go on and on about how wonderful my hubby is, I have to confess that I am a total doofus. A techno-doofus. I accidentally deleted the draft of a new post because I have no idea how to use a computer. It was quite possibly the perfect blog post- dripping with sarcasm, of course. Now it's lost...and with it my chance at fame and fortune.
Back to Big Daddy. I love love LOVE Big Daddy. Yesterday we celebrated our 15th anniversary, and today we started on the next 15. I just have to say that I know that I am the most blessed woman ever, and that some of my divorced friends are sick of hearing it. I get it. Completely. But...in honor of 15 years, humor me again, please.
Allen and I met in high school when my best friend Jenn moved into a house across the street from him. He was smart and funny and cute and I wanted to stay outside watching him play basketball all night. I would have married him right then, but there were legal issues prohibiting us. That, and the fact that he wasn't nearly as "into" me as I was him. I can't imagine why...I had like the biggest hair in my whole school, AND red high-top Reeboks, AND a Pepe acid washed denim jacket. What more could he want? He finally came around and we were the proverbial roller-coaster/on again-off again relationship for quite some time. Eventually, after a few years, lots of drama and some growing up, we were on again. It is an amazing story, and I can't type it all here- but it's one of those that gives you goose bumps and you can see God's hand in every detail of. We had it BAD! Still do.
We had 5 years together before our kids arrived- that 's a whole other post. I think that those 5 years were great for us, though. We went through a lot then...college, grad-school, living away from Jonesboro, and learning to stand on our own four feet spiritually. Then, Sophie Mae came along and simply overtook us. We had an amazing time just being us. A few years later, God decided to send us twin boys. Allen worked his tail off to pay for those monkeys and we own Sam and Jess out-right. (Thanks Dr Dunn for the buy one get one deal.) We're still having fun, and our little family is my heaven on earth.
There have been hard times too, but God has always been faithful to grab us and pull us up into His lap. As we have watched Sam lay in a hospital bed having constant seizures and not knowing where we were headed, Allen and I were one flesh. That's where it matters. I am so thankful for him and for all of the hoops that God made us jump through to get to each other. I wish we could have a thousand anniversaries.
So, tomorrow we get to send the kids to Momo's and go to a restaurant that doesn't have a kid's menu. We won't be cutting anyone's meat, or taking anyone to the bathroom. Just me and BD. I can hardly wait. Happy Anniversary Big Daddy. I love you more than chocolate.
Back to Big Daddy. I love love LOVE Big Daddy. Yesterday we celebrated our 15th anniversary, and today we started on the next 15. I just have to say that I know that I am the most blessed woman ever, and that some of my divorced friends are sick of hearing it. I get it. Completely. But...in honor of 15 years, humor me again, please.
Allen and I met in high school when my best friend Jenn moved into a house across the street from him. He was smart and funny and cute and I wanted to stay outside watching him play basketball all night. I would have married him right then, but there were legal issues prohibiting us. That, and the fact that he wasn't nearly as "into" me as I was him. I can't imagine why...I had like the biggest hair in my whole school, AND red high-top Reeboks, AND a Pepe acid washed denim jacket. What more could he want? He finally came around and we were the proverbial roller-coaster/on again-off again relationship for quite some time. Eventually, after a few years, lots of drama and some growing up, we were on again. It is an amazing story, and I can't type it all here- but it's one of those that gives you goose bumps and you can see God's hand in every detail of. We had it BAD! Still do.
We had 5 years together before our kids arrived- that 's a whole other post. I think that those 5 years were great for us, though. We went through a lot then...college, grad-school, living away from Jonesboro, and learning to stand on our own four feet spiritually. Then, Sophie Mae came along and simply overtook us. We had an amazing time just being us. A few years later, God decided to send us twin boys. Allen worked his tail off to pay for those monkeys and we own Sam and Jess out-right. (Thanks Dr Dunn for the buy one get one deal.) We're still having fun, and our little family is my heaven on earth.
There have been hard times too, but God has always been faithful to grab us and pull us up into His lap. As we have watched Sam lay in a hospital bed having constant seizures and not knowing where we were headed, Allen and I were one flesh. That's where it matters. I am so thankful for him and for all of the hoops that God made us jump through to get to each other. I wish we could have a thousand anniversaries.
So, tomorrow we get to send the kids to Momo's and go to a restaurant that doesn't have a kid's menu. We won't be cutting anyone's meat, or taking anyone to the bathroom. Just me and BD. I can hardly wait. Happy Anniversary Big Daddy. I love you more than chocolate.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Cake? Nah....
About a year ago I decided that I really wanted to start my own blog. My Facebook posts were getting ridiculously long, so obviously I needed an outlet for all of the words that a stay-at home mom builds up over the course of a day. Or over the course of ten years. You see, my wonderful hubby is not a talker, and spends his day talking to people. When he gets home, he has used up most of his words. My kids are only interested in words that include "sandwich," "cereal," and "he started it."
So, you see my dilemma.Finally, after much procrastination, in December I started a little blog called Cake4Dinner that was to be about my love for all things CAKE. I love to decorate cakes and my obsession has grown to include baking of all sorts. Now, it's March and I have made 2 posts to that blog, neither of which include a single recipe or picture. Pathetic. I have been so tied up getting mani-pedi's and taking cruises around the world that I just couldn't be bothered with blogging.
Seriously, life has been a roller coaster of hospital stays and chaos since then. While I have been wearing Facebook OUT with prayer requests and updates about my Sam, I could have really used the therapeutic release of a blog about my LIFE...rather than cake. So, out with the cake...and on with my life.
WARNING: Sarcasm will follow....as will scripture and photos of kids in cardboard boxes and super hero costumes and hospitals. My punctuation will be questionable, at best. But....it will be a hoot.
Stay with me!
C
About a year ago I decided that I really wanted to start my own blog. My Facebook posts were getting ridiculously long, so obviously I needed an outlet for all of the words that a stay-at home mom builds up over the course of a day. Or over the course of ten years. You see, my wonderful hubby is not a talker, and spends his day talking to people. When he gets home, he has used up most of his words. My kids are only interested in words that include "sandwich," "cereal," and "he started it."
So, you see my dilemma.Finally, after much procrastination, in December I started a little blog called Cake4Dinner that was to be about my love for all things CAKE. I love to decorate cakes and my obsession has grown to include baking of all sorts. Now, it's March and I have made 2 posts to that blog, neither of which include a single recipe or picture. Pathetic. I have been so tied up getting mani-pedi's and taking cruises around the world that I just couldn't be bothered with blogging.
Seriously, life has been a roller coaster of hospital stays and chaos since then. While I have been wearing Facebook OUT with prayer requests and updates about my Sam, I could have really used the therapeutic release of a blog about my LIFE...rather than cake. So, out with the cake...and on with my life.
WARNING: Sarcasm will follow....as will scripture and photos of kids in cardboard boxes and super hero costumes and hospitals. My punctuation will be questionable, at best. But....it will be a hoot.
Stay with me!
C
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